Shortly after 9/11, Daniel Pipes - a part-time Middle East scholar and full-time critic of Islam - felt emboldened. "I have a lot to say," he declared. "This is my moment."

For years, Pipes had been attempting to scare Americans about the presence of Islam. 9/11 was a tragedy for the nation; for Pipes, it was a long-sought opportunity to push an argument that "a state of war exists" between Islam and the West. Over the past decade, Pipes and a small network of inter-connected anti-Muslim organizers appear to be succeeding in their efforts to cast aspersions of the loyalties of Muslim Americans.

A casual observer would not be faulted for believing that little can be done to stem this tide of hate. But there is indeed great hope for a way out. A new analysis by the Center for American Progress (CAP) - co-authored by Wajahat Ali, Eli Clifton, Matt Duss, Lee Fang, Scott Keyes and myself - reveals the path.

The CAP study, titled "Fear, Inc.," reveals that the bulk of anti-Muslim political activity has originated from a small group of misinformation experts who have been facilitated in their efforts by over $42 million in funding over the past 10 years from seven foundations. The small network of scholars includes Pipes and a very small band of cohorts.

The work of these anti-Muslim experts is then disseminated by a host of activist organizations (including ACT! for America and Stop Islamization of America), religious right pastors and conservative groups such as the Eagle Forum and the American Family Association. Media voices on the right - such as Fox News, National Review, and hate radio hosts like Michael Savage and Rush Limbaugh - then amplify the Islamophobic rhetoric. Ultimately, right-wing political actors like Representatives Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Allen West (R-FL) help mainstream the ugly prejudice.

Why are these findings in this CAP report good news, you ask? Because it shows the immense power that an organized, dedicated and energized network of funders, thinkers and activists can have in changing the attitudes held by a large number of Americans.

For every Daniel Pipes committed to spawning an environment of hate, there are many more Americans of good conscience who refuse to live in a perpetual state of fear, who believe in the constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion, and who want to extend a welcoming hand to their loyal, hard-working neighbors. But for whatever Pipes and the Islamophobia network lacks in values, they more than make up for it with a fervent dedication to their cause.

Our goal is simple: We want to end Islamophobia. To do that, we need to marginalize the Islamophobia network. Funders should explain whether they want their money to continue propping up the hate; media figures should think hard before giving these individuals a platform; and conservative politicians must divorce themselves from the network's propaganda.

Consider the case of Herman Cain. At one time, he was the most virulent anti-Muslim politician in the land and an icon for the Islamophobia network. He told ThinkProgress.org in March 2011 that he would never appoint a Muslim to his administration. But as his intolerance yielded increasingly negative attention and lower poll ratings, Cain tried a different course. The man who once said that Americans have a right to ban mosques went to go visit a mosque himself.

After breaking bread with some Muslim Americans and joining in embrace with a Northern Virginia imam, Cain said he was "truly sorry for any comments that may have betrayed my commitment to the U.S. Constitution and the freedom of religion guaranteed by it." Once Cain divorced himself from the Islamophobia network's misinformation, he encountered a different reality and regained his sense of rationality grounded in American values of tolerance.

A decade after 9/11, let us commit ourselves to saying, "This is our moment." Achieving justice, equality, and fairness requires a fight. Ten years from now, let us write the chapter of how we inspired a nation to rise above the hate.

soundoff(76 Responses)

j. von hettlingen

Right now, the state of the country is at its nadir and people need a scapegoat to deflect their discontent. The building of a Islamic centre near Ground Zero, the protracted and costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan etc. were enough fuels for opportunists and demagogues to set the nation ablaze,

The Germans had Jews as their scapegoat. Americans have Muslims as their scapegoats. Hopefully history will not repeat itself. What happened to the Jews was unbelievable. The Tea Baggers are reminding me of miniature Nazis though.

Daniel Pipes has it right. There does indeed exist a state of war between Islam and the West as the U.S. and NATO are now currently engaged in several wars throughout the Middle East to occupy more and more Muslim countries. Tragically enough, the West is winning. Now to get the Muslims to start chanting "Allah Akbar, but Capitalism Akbar-er" and to believe that the West is even greater than Allah, then the Western leaders will be quite happy indeed!

The U.S. wouldn't BE involved in wars (in Islamic countries) throughout the Mideast
had not a bunch of Islamic "radicals" from " throughout the Mideast" not crashed a
bunch of airliners into Americans (on American soil!!) on 9/11/01. You "reap what
you sow" according to some of your "Holy Books" and "prophets"...Get used to it.

And another thing: The U.S. would prefer NOT to be "occupying" ANY country ANYWHERE.
and speaking of "occupation": It looks more to me like muslim countries are "occupying" the U.S.
when I see ever more "Mideasterners" in shopping centers and working at jobs in American
businesses. How many Americans to you see living and working in islamic countries around
the world? And If we're so "Islamophobic" why doesn't the flood of mideastern "immigrants"
into North America and Europe stop?

Wow mikey, you are so prolific in your ignorance about how many Americans are working in Islamic countries. I guess you have not travelled to places like Dubai, Malaysia andIndonesia. You see I am a Muslim lawyer and the law firm I am working for handled some work for the US companies like Mobil, Citibank and Morgan Stanley. I am not even sure if you heard about these companies. By the way there are American and so as many of their regional CEOs and COOs. I hope I can shed some light and get rid of your sheer ignorance.

September 3, 2011 at 1:46 pm |

Mycology

a Phobia is an irrational fear.

There is nothing "phobic" about hating Islam, about fearing Islam, and about wanting Islam to be banished from this planet for the sake of all that is good and peace loving.

A lot of liberal minded folks refuse to look at the problem in the eye. Even when some muslim leaders truthfully describe islam as hateful of all other faiths and the 5th century barbaric faith that it is. But they would just dismiss it as some fringe elements speaking and not representative of the "religion of peace".

Muhammad Ibn Abdullah: born 570 CE. That's 6th century. Did Islam exist prior to Muhammad?
If so explain that to us. So asimj is off by a century-so what? That doesn't change the fact that
what he/she says is the primary cause (in "nonmuslim" minds) for "islamaophobia"

Now, add to that you're blatant bigotry toward Jews and Israel (IN IRRITATING ALL-CAPS) and perhaps
then you can understand why we non muslims respond to you with disdain and disgust (Islamophobia).

Islam a religion of "peace"? Maybe, but you would never believe it by you're diatribes, or by the irrational
reactions (fatwas) to "heretical" (Danish) cartoons (think Theo VanGogh) or to books critical of Islam.
(tnink Salman Rushdie).

Sorry, but for as long as I see those "fatwahs" against "heretics", or vicious hatred of Jews/Israel, and
and Christians, and the way women are treated in Islamic countries (Saudi Arabia, Myanmar,
Pakistan, Afghanistan (Taliban) I will continue to have a very negative impression of Islam.

This from a nonbeliever in ANY of your religions...

September 1, 2011 at 6:47 pm |

Michelle G

I think Islamaphobia spreads from just ignorance. When we learn "history" in school, we learn "Christian history" of the western world. The rest of the world is left out. Kids are not taught of the great Islamkc empires of the past or all the things that the Islamkc world did for the growth of science and technology (while "Christian Europe" wallowed in a dark age of repression and violence and cruelty). Americans need to stop our ethnocentric view of the world and start seeing the whole picture that includes the rest of the world. As an adult, I now question why our education ignored great civilizations in the Middle East, Asia, South America. People always fear the unknown and unless America changes it's education system the rest of the world will always be a scary, unknown thing to self-centered Americans.

Oui oui, Cheri ma chérie, Ask some of the blacks in Ammerica if the life here is equal for all the citizen. What do you really know about the contries you're talking about; I mean you see and ear thing but do you have any personnal experience you care to share with us...and if so, how did you escape alive?

September 1, 2011 at 2:38 pm |

XYZ

I grew up in Pakistan my friend. Back then before the US invasions people loved the US. Now I am not sure what they think about the US. What I learned in life is that you should not believe in stereotypes. Everyone is different. That is the variation from evolution.

September 2, 2011 at 10:36 pm |

Joan P.

Actually, what is taught in the schools about the Dark Ages and Christianity is loaded with inaccuracies and outright lies. And, at least for this past decade, Christian History of the West, is taught very little, and when it is, there is a negative bias, while Islam and the supposedly wonderful religion it is is being indoctrinated into our children's minds.

At least Christianity doesn't teach, and never has taught "repression, violence and cruelty", where as Islam does. Just look at how women and non-Muslims are treated in Muslim countries. Again, the repression, violence and cruelty you claim was a part of the "Christian" Dark Ages, which were not as dark as people are led to believe, was not due to a direct result of Church teaching, but the misunderstanding of it and the result of our fallen human natures.

Do you think that this inequality and violence against woman existed in the medieval ages closer to the birth of islam? There existed woman thinkers, nurses and teachers in the islamic world.

September 1, 2011 at 2:31 pm |

getreal74

i went to public high school in the usa took a supposedly advanced world history course and wasent taught that islam was wonderful,after breifly going over islams origins and the beliefs and tenants of the faith,the spread of islam throughout the middle east and later n africa,spain,south,central and southeast asia,rise and fall of islamic empires then we were told 'islam is also the faith of hamas,islamic jihad,hezbollah,etc etc' and then next day she put on a tape of 'not without my daughter'haha

September 1, 2011 at 6:48 pm |

Kepha

Joan P., speaking as a professional swindler–oops, High School social studies teacher–I'm afraid you are absolutely right. From the textbooks and curricula I see, you'd think Christianity was nothing except brutish crusades and enslavement; and Islam nothing but the golden age of Ummayad Andaluz (minus, of course, the unpleasant fact that the testimony of a Jew or Christian had no weight against that of a Muslim). Further, the role of the Dhimmi communities in the Muslim world in preserving pre-Islamic knowledge is never acknowledged (yet it was from such communities that the "Arabs" found people who knew Greek).

I don't hate Muslims, but I am daily more nauseated by the whitewashing of Islam's ugly side that goes on in politics, media, and [mis]education.

September 1, 2011 at 8:20 pm |

Matt

Do you even realize how many lies are in Christianity. Hate is just ignorance. Before people start blabbing about whose right or wrong, they should really take a minute to look at the history that they are talking about. Every religion has had its problems and we have to admit it. We should hate who did it or what happened but learn from it so that we can prevent future occurances and debates that just end in radical ideas.

Lets learn how to learn.

September 11, 2011 at 6:03 pm |

Matt

**Shouldn't hate not should hate.**

September 11, 2011 at 6:06 pm |

Droned

When muslims stop beheading, bombing, honor killing, treating women like trash, banning pastimes and forcing their medieval views on the world. Maybe then will there be less 'islamophobes'.

Those who commit crimes against humanity are not called muslims but those are terrorist and criminals. First of all, if God hate us and wanted us to kill each other for the sake of God or religion, then why God created Adam(humans). As a muslims, I am against terrorist and criminals. However terrorist kills muslims and non muslims. In fact they kill more muslims than non muslims. This is obvious they are not belong to islam because islam is peace and great religon.

THATS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN AMERICA STOPS SUPPORTING TERRORIST NATIONS LIKE ISRAEL AND TURKEY THAT TAKE WEAPONS FROM USA TO KILL ITS CIVILIANS
THATS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN AMERICA REALLY STOPS ALL BUSINESS AND TRADE ACTIVITY WITH NATIONS THAT BASED ON ABSOLUTE MONARCHY, WHERE HUMAN RIGHTS ARE ABUSED IN THE NAME OF IMAMS (THAT HAVE THEIR OWN INTERPRETATION OF ISLAM) .
THATS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN AMERICA SEES OTHER COUNTRIES AS INDEPENDENT NATIONS AND NOT AS PUPPETS OF THE US GOVERNMENT (THE KINGS)
THATS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THE US WILL TRULY PLAY OUT THE ROLES OF A WORLD LEADER THAN USING ITS POWER TO ITS ADVANTAGE.
IS YOUR GOVERNMENT WILLING TO DO ALL THAT
THEN YOU WONT HEAR SCREAMS OF DEATH TO AMERICA FROM THE MUSLIMS WORLD
YOU WILL HEAR CHEERS OF PEACE AND FREEDOM AND CO-OPERATION

People like you are the very reason, why people hate islam so much. muslims either jump out to support islam's stupid logic or say only some muslims are misguided. let me ask u a question, why bring in religion to ur fight, if u claim fight to be just ppl should come to support without the use of word islam. islam is a really really totally screwed up barbaric out of time religion. i will continue to hate muslims, just like majority of muslims hate other relgions and considers fidels. your very existence is on our pity. shame on you.

September 5, 2011 at 8:16 am |

john`

I have no problem with muslims, I have a problem with all that is going on in these muslim countries(Imams spouting hate for me as a westerner, killing of christians in a lot of these countries, spewing hatred of the jewish people just because they are jews, burning my countries flag then turn around and ask the U S for help) but most egregious is the media telling me i am an islamaphobe. Chiding us to be more tolerant and acting as if the hundreds and i mean hundreds of cases of in thes contries, actually say to kill us or drag my country down to dominate it. You actually act like they don't say this stuff. One guy caught burning my countries flag, the next day he asking jounalist to ask U S to help them get rid of assad. You'r problem is that we know more now about how they(muslims) act to our face then, change their theme when talking to their own people

I am not against them, but they do spout hatred, so to protect my country we read all we can, that is what is killing these people, we just won't rool over and let them cut my throat, like they did in great britton
Isult my god, burn my flag, We will defecate on the koran
PEACE

AND YOUR COUNTRY HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO MAKE THESE MUSLIMS HATE YOU?
CENTURIES OF ARMS BUILDING UP OF ISRAEL HAS RESULTED IN MILLIONS OF INNOCENT DEATHS ON BOTH SIDES
YOUR COUNTRY HAS KILLED THE LARGEST CIVILIAN POPULATION IN THE WORLD AFTER WW2
AND YOU WANT MUSLIMS TO LOVE YOU???

Wrong. Americans do NOT care what Muslims think of us at all. It's Muslims, like the author of the article, who are so desperate to convince "infidels" that Islam is a "religion of peace" , and that Muslims are just regular folks, and that Islamic terrorists do not represent Muslims or Islam.

The problem is that, since 9/11 and subsequent terror attacks by Islamic terrorists, Americans and other "infidels" have been learning what Islam is about, have read the Koran and now know that many parts of Koran teach abominations that can never be resolved with modern "infidel" western values of equality, "justice for all", social justice, freedoms of religion, expression, representative government, separation of church/state etc.

In nations where Islam is the the dominate faith, we "infidels" have seen how unjust, violent, bigoted, cruel, repressive, backward, ignorant and hateful the Islamic world is. We "infidels" have learned what it is to be poor, female or a religious minority living in the Islamic world.

We have seen how Muslim immigrants to the west have abused our generosity and violated our laws, and threatened our citizens and who have imported Islamic-world atrocities like "honor" killings. We have heard the Imams who preach hate for the west and westerners in Mosques that have been built in the western "infidel" nations that are so hated by so many Muslims.
That is why, Sir, we "infidels" don't care what Muslims or the Islamic world think of us. That is also why no matter how hard Muslims try to convince "infidels" that they are peaceful and that Islam is "the religion of peace", they will never succeed.
"Infidels" will believe in "peaceful" and "tolerant" Islam when we see it, and not before.

September 1, 2011 at 8:51 pm |

vefakar

Enjoyable essay! With regard to the “Golden Age” and hopes for a “Reformed Islam,” that’s what I think plpeoe like Daniel Pipes and Irshad Manji have in mind. My position is to advocate a rational/secular/individualist alternative and understand that under such pressure there will be Muslims that want to create a compromise. Today, many in the West start by advocating the compromise, which I believe will fail. I agree that we should respect the compromisers, like Manji – or should I say, respectfully disagree – while keeping the pressure with criticism (as 6th Column and others have done so well.) And we should be ready to applaud and encourage the steps taken by the reformers.I’d like to know more about the Mu’tazilites. I’ve found some interesting facts about Hellenic philosophy in Arab history. Did you know that they never translated Aristotle’s Politics (until recent times?) They relied on Plato’s Republic and Plato’s Laws. They did have Aristotle’s Ethics, however. But without Aristotle’s moderating influence – respecting private property and individual initiative, for example – they apparently adopted an elitist/centralized political philosophy. I’m confident that they didn’t know about Cicero’s notion of natural law – a precursor of the idea of natural rights. Another interesting fact is that they conflated Plato with Aristotle until Averroes realized that several texts attributed to Aristotle were actually written by neo-Platonists. But what I find interesting was that translators (all Christian and Jews) didn’t translate the Greek dramatists into Arabic. Without the examples of Greek drama, great Arab philosophers couldn’t make heads-or-tails of Aristotle's Poetics. Islam failed to receive the artistic heritage of the Greeks. As we know, Islam has a proscription against portrait painting. In many ways, they were starved of fine art, especially without the Hellenic heritage. Personally, being of a scientific/philosophical background, I tend to focus on these achievements first when studying cultural history. However, let’s appreciate Rand’s emphasis on literature – art in general – as being indispensable for living one’s life and changing one’s culture. Accepting Greek science is a good first step, but applying reason to human affairs and experiencing one’s abstractions in vivid concretized expression is the step that Arab philosophers never secured. I’m still reading about this fascinating history; but these are some tentative thoughts and findings. Again, enjoyable essay!

March 11, 2012 at 5:05 pm |

seeker

THE DAY AMERICA WILL STAND FOR JUSTICE AGAINST AGGRESSION WILL BE THE DAY WHEN MUSLIMS WILL TRULY LOVE THE WEST. THE DAY IT WILL BECOME TOUGH ON TERRORIST NATIONS LIKE TURKEY AND ISRAEL FOR THEIR ATROCIOUS ACTIONS AGAINST A STRUGGLING CIVILIAN POPULATIONS.
USA HAS SHOWED THE WORLD TO FIGHT AND KILL BY SUPPLYING THEM WEAPONS OF MASS MURDER AND YOU SAY WHY THEY HATE US??

Forget muslims loving the west, first put your house in order then talk about west. Muslims lacks the common sense God has given us. In the name of islam you people are ready to kill each other that is pathetic state of islam. US should bag and tag all the muslims and throw them back to their respective hell holes where they came from.

September 5, 2011 at 8:27 am |

Laura Wrzeski

I repeat: Westerners, "infidels" do not and never will care why Muslims hate us. In fact, if Muslims/the Islamic world approved of us, that would be reason enough for "infidels" to be deeply concerned about our collective moral character, values and motivations.

September 9, 2011 at 12:19 am |

seeker

SINCE DECADES THE ARAB POPULATIONS HAVE HAD A DESIRE TO BE INDEPENDENT OF THEIR KINGS, BUT THE US (A BEACON OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY) HAS NOT EVEN CRITICIZED THESE REGIMES FOR THEY ARE AFRAID THAT AN IRAN COULD BE BORN OUT OF THESE NATIONS. THE US CHOSE TO SUPPRESS THESE PEOPLE WHILE IT PROMOTED FREEDOM IN ITS OWN COUNTRY. ISLAM HAS A STRICT ORDER ON HYPOCRITES. THEY SHALL NOT BE TOLERATED AND THEREFORE YOU SEE THIS WAVE OF ANTI-WESTERN PROPAGANDA FLOURISHING IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN EXPECT LOVE IN RETURN FOR MURDER AND KILLING.

When the US Army is invading Iraq, people like seeker accuse the USA of being agressive, and fully responsible of the "killing of innocent muslem civilians."

However, if the USA is NOT invading an Arab country, the USA is accused of "not acting against corrupt dictators and kings" and thus, the USA is fully responsible for the "killing of innocent muslem civilians."

Thus, for those who want to hate the Western world, they will always have a reason to do so.

All religions are peace and teach moral, however certain people are trying to use religon as tools and harm others to complete their desires. Certain groups are trying to create conflicats among people. This will create hatred among people. Terrorist and criminals are found in any nations, however for certain people who are not belong to that religion or have no idea about that religion, we blame all the religion. If we encourage people in the good way and create peace and love among us, I think we will remove hatred and limit the terrorist and criminals. If we call people bad names and call them terrorist and criminals even they are not, they will turn to terrorist activies. We are fighting with talibans 10 years with more than 24 countries, but still we never succeed to remove the talibans and criminals in afghanistan. In fact we see more terrorist and more talibans. We should find ways to remove the terrorist and talibans but we by ourselve create more talibans and terrorist. This hatred will create more hate.

Please read Koran once again. I think you are misunderstood. Koran is the boo of god. The same god that your bile was sent. If you think Koran is wrong then you are not a christian. If you think Koran tell you to kill then your bible also says to kill. Koran and bile both have connection.

September 1, 2011 at 12:21 pm |

omar

"Koran and bile both have connection" I meant the orginal Bible, not the man made Bible. One more thing, your bible was changed. Try to find if you can get the orginal Bible to see if what Koran and what Bible says would be similar. Koran is the book of God, and never changed and it is not man made Koran. Get 2000 copies of Koran around the world, you will see the same things no change. and get 5 bibles around the world, you would see too much changes. Now you tell me which one is right. Man made bible and god book. If Koran says to kill, god never says to kill. If god hated us, first of all he never created us. Then what is the point of heaven and hells.

September 1, 2011 at 12:28 pm |

Joan P.

This is in reply to Omar- the Bible has not been "changed". In fact, it's current translations are quite accurate based on the scholarship I've read from those who know Greek, Hebrew, etc., the languages the bible was originally written in.

Where are your sources claiming the bible has changed, and if you are so privy to the "original" bible, then show us where to find it. BTW, one of our Ten Commandments is Thou Shalt Not Kill.

September 1, 2011 at 1:40 pm |

Carlito

Reply to Joan P.

The Bible as been a political tool in the name of roman rulers and the gospel are composed of 4 books chosen from the original 27 books or so.

Tell the early inquisition if killing in the name of christ was not common custom: more than 50 million natives massacred in the Americas alone, not withstanding Africa, the Philipines, Polynesian island, and so on, and so on...

September 1, 2011 at 2:33 pm |

seeker

I THINK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT "KILL THEM WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM" A VERY SPECIFIC VERSE REFERRING ONLY TO THE WAR TIMES AS AN MOTIVATIONAL BOOST TO THE SOLDIERS. THE QURAN IN ANYWAY DOESNT JUSTIFY KILLING OF CIVILIANS. I CAN CHALLENGE YOU ON THIS. EVEN THE NON-MUSLIMS ARE TO BE PROTECTED AND GIVIEN THEIR RIGHTS IN A ISLAMIC STATE.

September 1, 2011 at 2:39 pm |

Joan P.

Reply to Carlito,

When the canon of the bible was decided, the Church chose the 4 gospels based on their authorship, when they were written and if they appeared to be truly inspired. They were judged as authentic and thus included in the canon of scripture. The other Apocrypha gospels were rejected as uninspired and mainly because they were written many, many years after the Apostles. These other gospels can be accessed on the internet, and many are quite illogical and inane.

Regarding the Inquisition, a perfect example of revising history. The inquisition was responsible for a few thousand deaths, 3,000 I believe, and it was the government that ordered the executions, not Church leaders for the most part. Contrast the Inquisition with the number of deaths caused by Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot, et.al., and there is no comparison. Yet, people still bring up the Inquisition as though it was the greatest horror perpetrated on humankind in the history of the world, oh and the Crusades as well. Right.

In regard to 50 million killed in the name of Christ- doing an internet search brought up an Islamic website with all sorts of assertions and no references whatsoever. I did find a site that spoke of the holocaust of over 50 million Orthodox Christians of Greece, Armenia, the Ukraine, at the hands of the Turks, Communists and various other groups in the 20th Century.

I really doubt that the Christian missionaries, priests and nuns were out to kill those for whom many of them traveled thousands of miles to bring the Gospel and the Love of Christ. Did secular Europeans kill natives in the New World? Yes, but it wasn't done in the name of Christ.

September 1, 2011 at 5:14 pm |

getreal74

ya omar the koran was changed too just like the bible was there was many different versions stuff added to and taken out until it was finally compiled into its final form many years after mohammads death.just with the bible its compilations spanned over thousands of years and many authors and languages whilst the quran compilation was shorter time with just one language.highly doubtful that the quran u open up and read and rock ur head too today is exactly as it was from mohammads mouth.

September 1, 2011 at 7:17 pm |

getreal74

also i might add seems many muslims or most i meet i should say adhere more to sunnah and hadiths than whats taught in the quran and to say mohammad is not worshipped well if invoking mohammads name in everything and freaking out about any percieved insult to mohammad and having to pray exactly like they say he prays isnt worshipping him then i dont what the muslim definition of worship is

September 1, 2011 at 7:33 pm |

omar

To getreal74, The Qur'an consists of several thousand verses arranged in 114 chapters, with the longest chapters coming first, and the shorter chapters near the end. Its contents arrived unexpectedly to Muhammad PBUH a few verses at a time over weeks, months, and years. Koran was memorized by many different people and stil people has koran in heart and it is it memorized . Therefore, no one can change it. If Koran was burned and destroyed but people have memorized. Now find any person in the world to have all bible memorized but you can not find any one since bible was changed and there are many different bible in people hands. But Koran is one and the words of God and you can find same Koran in any place in the world.

September 2, 2011 at 10:24 am |

omar

To getreal74
Hadeeth and Sunnah: The term Hadeeth has become a synonym for the term Sunnah, though there is some difference in their meanings. Sunnah, according to Arabic lexicographers, means ‘a way; course; rule; manner of acting or conduct of life’. Sunnah, as a technical term in the Science of Hadeeth, refers to whatever statements, acts, approvals, physical or character descriptions that are attributable to the Prophet (pbuh) along with his biography before or after the beginning of his prophet hood. It is thus synonymous with the term Hadeeth. However, according to Usool al-Fiqh science (legal methodology), Sunnah refers to only the statements, acts and approvals of the Prophet (PBUH). It also refers to whatever is supported by evidence from the sharee‘ah (Islamic laws); the opposite of bid‘ah (innovation). And in the Legalistic science of Fiqh the term Sunnah refers to recommended acts. The Examples of different types of Sunnah as per Science of Hadith could be seen below,

September 2, 2011 at 10:35 am |

mike

The thing I dont get is phobia is by definition a irrational fear. So when certain people blow themself up to kill others and the religion has a history of being violent not to mention countries with current national islam treats people badly what exactly is irrational? I have met muslims. I would say I could be friends with them given the chance. But in the back of my mind Islam is first above all. So if the extremeist becomes the norm and vise versa then who is a phobic. ME THINKS ME PARINOID, doesnt mean I shouldnt be.

Why should Muslims worry over whether or not ppl hate them or their religion. Is it not God himself who preserves them despite the efforts of enemies to exterminate them by bad-mouthing. I don't think Cain should be taken serious because he is a typpical politician.

The author's blaming anti-Islam groups and individuals for "Islamophobia" is wishful thinking on his part. Most Americans have no idea who Daniel Pipes even is, let alone care what he says about Islam.

The hard facts of why many Americans are torn between our respect for the freedoms set down in our Bill of Rights and our revulsion for Islam are obvious. OBL attacked the twin towers on 9/11/01, killing thousands of Americans. Only after 9/11 were the vast majority of Americans remotely interested in Islam or Muslims. This is an extremely important point for Muslims and the Islamic world to understand, so I'll repeat it: Americans were NOT interested in Islam/Muslims, almost never even thought about Islam/Muslims and did not know ANYTHING about Islam/Muslims until AFTER the attacks of 9/11.
After 9/11 and after subsequent Islamic terrorist attacks around the world, the Gulf wars, the war in Afghanistan, America received an education in Islam/Muslims. MANY Americans, including myself, got a copy of Koran, hoping to gain more of an understanding about what the religion was all about.

Let me tell you, many parts of the Koran made me physically ill. Having read the Koran, many Hadiths, it is VERY easy to understand why the Islamic world is bigoted, violent, unjust, brutal and cruel. It is also VERY easy to understand why OBL and other Islamic terrorist/groups commit butchery against "infidels" and how they also have been butchering other Muslims every since the religion was founded.

Americans have learned what it means to be poor, female or a religious minority in the Islamic world. We have seen Muslim immigrants to the West commit "honor" killings, acts of terrorism, support and fund Islamic terror groups.

9/11 was the beginning of American and Western "infidel" understanding of Islam, and every day since 9/11 has taught us that Islam is utterly vile, and Muslims who are genuinely peaceful and tolerant are so in SPITE of their religion, not because of it.

I suppose you are still sick and recuperating in a hospital. Hope it is not terminal. Wish you a speedy recovery so that you can continue your research with your eyes open.

First off, Twin Towers were brought down by Saudis. What is America doing in Iraq et al? I am sure in your research you must have also realized that the root causes of the problems we are facing today are due to Palestine and Kashmir issues that have been festering for over 60 years. The last I checked it was US/Nato forces bombing and occupying the Islamic countries.

Finally, I would suggest that you either travel with your family to the Islamic world or consider working there. Many Americans, Europeans, Chinese, Russians call it home. You will be pleasantly surpised at how tolerant, modern, progressive, hospitable, and historic most of these places are. Yes, you will find in most of these places women drive, work, are respected more than in your world and there are churches, temples, mosques galore. As you may recall, it was the muslims who gave this world all its culture, art, architecture, technology, science, literature etc. and introduced renaissance while the world was seething in dark ages. After all, Islam is the world's fastest growing religion and muslims are projected to be demographically the world's largest population segment within the next few years. So we need to get along and live in peace with other and of course be tolerant. Here's to the new world pre and post 9/11 and to the memories of millions who have given their lives.

Well said Laura, PROOF IS IN THEIR BOOK! Two days ago there was a new red jeep past me and as I was admiring how pretty it was I saw on the back glass some white decals that said in small letters KILL INFIDELS and American flag with the words FREEDOM on it had a circle around it and a slash through it and the word. And I thought to myself THESE PEOPLE ARE HER TO KILL US!

Muslim obsessions with Palestine and Kashmir are not shared by the "infidel" world. We simply do not care. We "care" only when Muslim violence upsets business-as-usual.

What Muslims don't seem to understand is that Muslim BEHAVIOR has alienated "infidel" concern and sympathy that might have existed for Muslim issues. Thanks to Muslim terrorists, extremists and their sympathizers, the "infidel" world is no longer able to be even remotely objective in assessing Muslim grievances.

And it is NOT "just" Muslim/Islamic world "behavior" towards "infidels" that has lost any positive or even objective regard for Muslims/Islam that "infidels" may have been capable of before this era of Islamic terrorism. It is the atrocities committed day after day after day BY Muslims AGAINST Muslims that have convinced "infidels" that there is no mercy, no justice, no "tolerance, no peace, no decency, no respect for the rights and feelings of others in Islam.

We should create love and peace among people and remove the hatred and discrimination among us. I recall in the passed that mentioned in the stores that blacks and dogs are not allowed in side the stores. Now your president is a black man and his father was muslim. One day will happend that your hatred will turn to love and friendship when you find the truth that terrorist and criminals are not belong to Islam and do not follow the book of god. Islam is peace and love and those commits crimes around the world are criminals.

Mr. Shakir,
I think perhaps your just a bit bias. I lived within the Muslim community for several years. It was clear to me that most of the Muslim community love to play the victim..... when in fact you know that within Muslim homes most put themselves far above the "white" people " this is a reference from your community, Mr. Shakir, in reference to "all westerners".
This is called "reverse prejudice", Mr. Shakir. Write an article about that and let's how you do.

I have a terrible feeling that as more nations go through unrest, the west shall find its self in syria with a similar mission as Libya, thus angering muslims further, the muslims shall then start behaving the same way in the west, in the end the 'white' people shall end up re-introducing racism thus forcing all immigrants to go back to their home countries, which shall then anger the non-western world as they shall have lost a good deal of money, and that my friends looks like the start of WW3.

Daniel Pipes is right. Islamic people are brainwashed Borg and the source of most of the terrorism on the planet. When they no longer have a way to manipulate the world through their Oil, they will go back to the armpit of human civilization – where they belong.

"This isn't the REAL Islam"- Every time something like this pops up. Killing a cartoonist, blowing up buildings, trains, etc.47 Islamic nations calling for all human rights to be subject to Sharia(Cairo doctrines). Islamic nations trying to pass an "anti-blasphemy" law in the UN to protect themselves from criticism. Persecuting in Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia Etc. Killing gays(Iran),"witches" in Saudi Arabia, chopping heads off Buddhist in Thailand, slavery in the sub Sarah etc. on and on..BUT, it's not the "Real Islam"...yeah right. "Islam" is the "religion" that condone killing their own mothers, daughters, and wives in “honor” killings. I would suggest that instead of DEFENDING this kind of barbaric animal like behavior, to stop this. Instead of trying to correct people for talking against these action committed IN THE NAME OF ISLAM, ALLAH, AND THE QUR'AN!

Islamophobia is a direct cause of the actions of muslims not of those who oppose the islamization of the west. Reading the koran and traveling to Morocco and Egypt opened my eyes to how incompatible islam is with western civilization.

How can any rational person think a religion founded by a murderer, rapist, robber, slave owning, polygamist, pedophile, inbreeding wife beater not be a threat to western civilization? But don't take my word for it, read the koran and a biography of Muhammad.

90% of minorities have been eliminated in Islamic countries over the past century while at the same time there has been burst of population growth of Muslims in the west. Hence we are sick and tired of your murdering minorities with impunity in the 55 evil Islamic countries and then expect our respect. Your hypocracy is second to none.

Daniel Pipes is a gifted scholar, and many people share his concerns. It is a testimony to the moral fabric of our nation that the number of anti-Islamic actions and crimes committed against law-abiding citizens and residents has not been greater than it already is. Even one such action is a shame, but compared to the reactions toward perceived enemies in past conflicts, it is clear that tolerance is winning the battle for our hearts and minds. What that the same was true for the Islamic world where anti-Semitism, for instance, is endemic.

Muslims are evil, They use their fake "RELIGION" to cover up their true mission to distroy America and take over this country and will kill those who will not conform to their sheria laws. Look how muslims live in other countries. Who in the hell would want that here! Read the sheria laws, then read our 10 commandments. which set of laws are evil and full of violence, Their laws or Gods law. America is ONE NATION UNDER THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD.

Islam has been at war for 1400 yrs To them its a way of life.In 1748 without a navy the US congress appropriated funds for tribute money to negotiate with the Barbary states modern Libya Tuninsia and others Wheb Thomas Jefferson and John Adams meet the Tripolitan envoy to Britain and aked him why his country would attack ships of nations that had done nothing to them The envoy responded "That the Koran poes as a right and a duty the plundering and enslavements of those who do not follow the prophet and that of any muslim Today Islam is using immigration as its tool for its conquest of the west War for them never ended it wa just put on hold We are the ones who let our guard down and will now pay deally for our mistake There is a saying thoses that forget history are doomed to repeat it

The public images of Muslims in America have deteriorated significantly since the days immediately following 9/11, an odd yet understandable development considering the fundraising, networking, and public outreach conducted by the groups identified in this report. Co-author of the report Faiz Shakir was also on Democracy Now! this morning discussing the report, it's methodology, and impacts. Here's the link: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/9/6/fear_inc_exposes_the_so_called

Muslims are so jealous of everyone, they are always saying , the US is done, the west is this or that. What do they produce? terroism I have never laughed so hard as i read some of these stories, coming out of moolim countries, They have become the laughing stock of the world , suckle a woman so you may work with her, come on, We pull out the stories, and sit around and laugh our asses off, you people are pathetic. Listen we know the U S is not this squeeky clean government, but we now know all about islam, and know how you say one thing to our face(to get money) then turn around andsay what ever, twoface is the term
BURN OUR FLAG, DISRESPECT MY COUNTRY, WE WILL DEFACATE ON THE KORAN

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